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I wrote a post this morning, but have not seen it--my server may have eaten it. Apologies if it did go through and this is a duplicate. Yesterday morning I saw a flock of what looked like redpolls from a distance through a window in my home. I went to the back clear glass door to look. I had my bins, but was not looking through them as I noted about nine Common Redpolls feeding on the catkins on the snow under a birch. I scanned the birch and something immediately caught my eye. There were chickadees about, and for a moment the distinct whiteness of this bird at a quick glance made me think that, but then my mind said--hey, too small. I looked back at the bird and noted the white coloration was unlike any other bird in the yard. I observed this bird from many angles and degrees of closeness on four occasions all morning long. Here is what I observed. When the bird perched on top of the feeder pole, it looked like it was bathed in rime ice Very light pink wash on sides of breast Greyish-white mantle with some mottling and streaking, more blackish and white than brown Red head cap was smallish with white around it Flattish face with pointy sharp look to bill, top and bottom evenly straight to a sharp point Undertail coverts on first look completely white, on second look there was one short vertical streak Had plumpish, stocky look Like a YR Warbler has the distinct yellow rump patch, its patch was white--on third observation I detected a small pink spot, and on fourth some pale pinkish color lower on rump under spot Had some light streaking on side Its behavior was distinct from the other Redpolls. It stayed to itself, one time alone on the thistle feeder, another time back in a bramble, and two other times eating catkins in the tree. It never did join the other Redpolls on the ground. Anyone have an opinion on this bird? Also, this morning had a Northern Goshawk looming large over our back field in the snow--striking! Paula Gills Brookfield/Northfield